of the infirmity of his minde feeling himselfe much mortified and much quickned ought not to liue negligently nor to debauch himselfe or put himself out of hisown way in the dealing and conversations of men and in intermedling with the outward things of the world being afraid to return to his former infirmity by the depravation of his minde considering that the relapses of the minde into sicknesse are more dangerous as well as the relapses into bodily sicknesse albeit God himselfe doth ever keep from this kinde of falling those that haue got health by regeneration and renovation which the holy spirit causeth in those who are incorporated in Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. XXI The difference of Sinnes and Sinners The Obligations of Piety The Signes of Piety and Impiety ALL Men that sin sin either against themselues or against their neighbours or against Christ or against God They sin against themselues defyling their bodies with carnall vices and with Drunkennesse depraving their mindes with Ambition with Envy and with Wrath For whilst they occupy themselves in these matters besides the naturall depravation with which they are born they adde corruption to their manners They sin against their neighbours doing them evil and dammage in their persons in their estate in their honour and fame and giving them evill example and evill doctrine They sin against Christ justifying themselues by their own works for thereby they shew that they giue no credit to Christ touching the Covenant of Iustification which covenant he made between God Man shedding his blood I say they declare that they do not hold it for a thing firmly established that they doe not rely upon it They sin against God when they resent themselves and are grieved touching that which God doth For in grieving themselves resenting themselves and afflicting themselves they shew that they doe not content themselves thereof And this discontent of men proceeds in that that they esteem it not good and their esteeming it not to be good proceeds from this that they haue not a good opinion of God upon which selfe same ground they grow in the end even to hate God Now they who sin against themselves sin against the dignity of a man they who sin against their neighbour sin against Charity they who sin against Christ sin against the Faith and they who sin against God sin against naturall Piety They who sin against themselves sin also against their neighbours in as much as by their sins they giue evill example and they sin against Christ in as much as by their sins they make Christian religion to bee evill spoken of they sin against God in as much as they are convinced in themseves either by the Law or by their own judgements that they offend God in that which they doe They who sin against their neighbours sin likewise against themselves augmenting their proper depravation and corruption they sin against Christ depriving themselves of Charity which is the proper counter-signe of Christian Piety and they sin against God being convinced in themselves either through the Law or through their own consciences that they offend God in that which they doe They who sin against Christ sin against themselves depriving themselves of justification and consequently of the kingdome of God they sin against their neighbours in giving them examples of incredulity and they sin against God for in offending the Son they offend the Father and offending him that is sent they offend him that sent They who sin against God sin against themselves depriving themselves of piety against their neighbours by giving them evill example against Christ for the selfe-same respect that they doe who sin against Christ they sin against God for the union which is between Christ God From hence I gather that a man owes to himselfe purity and cleannesse which is got by mortification of the appetites and affections which are according to the old Adam He owes unto his neighbours Loue and Charity with good example and good doctrine To Christ Faith and to God Piety And I understand that as unto Faith there is also annexed certain hope of the resurrection and life eternall so unto piety is also annexed the worship in Spirit and in Truth Furthermore I gather that to liue licentiously and vitiously is a signe of depravation and corruption To liue hurtfull to his neighbour is a signe of malignity and iniquity To liue superstitiously and ceremoniously is a signe of incredulity and diffidence To liue discontent for that which God doth is a signe of Impiety As on the contrary to liue chast and pure and modest is a signe of mortification to liue without prejudicing any one is a signe of Charity and goodnesse To liue with peace and conscience is a signe of fidelity and confidence To liue contentedly touching every thing which God doth is a signe of piety and holinesse Whereupon I understand that as mortification and charity are gotten only by Gods gift so likewise that faith and confidence piety and holinesse mortification and charity are conserved and encreased in a man by the spirit of God even that which is obtained through Iesus Christ our Lord. I will adde this further that in those things wherein men sin against themselves and against their neighbours if so be they sin through weaknesse and infirmity presently after they haue sinned they are sorry and repent considering the offence of God and the hurt of their neighbour of themselues And in those things wherein men sin against Christ and against God if they sinne through weaknesse and infirmity they doe the self-same considering the offence of Christ and of God the ill example of their neighbour and their own dammage And furthermore as they that sin in carnall vices find satisfaction in their sins when they sin through wretched wilfulnesse so also they who sinne against Christ in outward justification against God being grieved at those things which God doth if so bee they sin through incredulity and impiety they are to finde satisfaction in their own works and in their own opinions And by these counter-signes may a man know when he sins through frailty and infirmity and when through wretched wilfulnesse and incredulity alwaies setting before his eyes the light of the Spirit which is obtained through Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. XXII For what reason God sometime giues a godly man a Child and suddenly takes him away EXamining with my selfe what God intends when he bestowes upon a godly person a child a few daies after takes him away again I suppose hee intends that self same which we intend when wee giue an Infant a thing and seeing him much delighted therewith and desirous to make experiment of his minde and inclination we take it away again And as I understand the matter as we haue a good conceit of that child whom wee see with the same cheerfulnesse to let goe the thing when we take it from him with which he took
works in a man that which sets him in the will and in the desire to haue much piety and much faith when in all this a man finds in himselfe much contrast and much contradiction and when also the same comes to passe in that which is exteriour unto men And I resolve my selfe that in this contrast in this fight a man ought to labour and travell much but without affliction or grieving himselfe for although the flesh together with all its affections remain aliue yet the holy spirit should haue the victory and bethe conquerour For it is not meet that the son of the slave that is the flesh should be heire with the son of the Free-woman that is the spirit of those goods that properly belong to the spirit that is of the knowledge of God in the present life and of the vision of God in life everlasting And saying the flesh I understand the affection of flesh that which men receive from Adam all which must needs dye in us to the intent that all that may live which we can receive from Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. XXXVI In what the Christian Liberty doth consist how it is knowne and how it is exercised THat it may be well understood wherein it is that Christian liberty doth consist how it is to be knowne and how it is to be exercised it imports much to understand first in what the Hebrew servitude doth consist how it was understood and how it was exercised The Hebrew servitude as I understand it proceeded from the command of the law which menacing and promising kept men in servitude and intreated them as servants Amongst them that were of the Hebrew people some applyed themselves to the law by inspiration and others out of opinion and there were others also who cared not for the law living licentiously they knew not the Hebrew servitude neither exercised themselves in it They who out of opinion applyed themselves to the law desiring and procuring that the Menaces wherewith the law threatned trangressors should not be executed on them and that the promise which the law made to them that observ'd it might bee fulfilled in them knew the Hebrew servitude but did not exercise it as they ought For being governed by their owne proper spirit they were most superstitious in some things and most licentious in other They who by inspiration applyed themselves unto the law and exercised themselves in it as was meete desiring the promises thereof and fearing the threatnings knew the Hebrew servi â—…ude seeing that it behoved them alwaies to stand knit unto the law and they exercised themselves in it as was meete holding themselves for servants and depending on the will of God for being governed by the holy spirit that did inspire them to the fulfilling of the law they were pious holy and just in such sort that the Hebrew servitude consisted in the law and was knowne when men applyed themselves to the observation of the law and was exercised when the application proceeded from the holy spirit On the contrary the Christian liberty consisteth in the abrogation of the law which was altogether abrogated in the comming of the holy spirit which succeeded in place of the law to governe the people of God Among them who have the name of Christians there are some who feele this Liberty by the holy spirit there are others who divine it by humane spirit and there are others who neither feele nor divine it They who neither feele nor divine it are in all points and altogether like unto them amongst the the Hebrew people who divined the servitude of the law being in all things and altogether most superstitious obliging and binding themselves not only to that which they think to be the law of God but also to that which they know to be the law of man and more then this they themselves doe oblige and binde themselves to other lawes in such sort as they know not in what Christian liberty doth consist neither doe they know it nor exercise it living wretchedly in miserable and hard servitude They who by humane spirit divine Christian liberty are much like unto them amongst the Hebrew people who made no account of the law they taking away from themselves all manner of yoak live licentiously not knowing nor exercising the Christian liberty as was meete They are ordinarily impious and vicious and I understand it that they divine Christian liberty by humane spirit they who by their owne wit and Iudgment and by that which they read and heare and understand that a Christian man is free not considering whether they bee Christians in such manner as that Christian liberty appertains to them grow to make the licentiousnesse of the flesh Christian liberty They who by the holy spirit feele the Christian liberty are like as it were to them amongst the Hebrew people who through the holy spirit applied themselves unto the law They know that Christian liberty consisteth in this that a Christian shall not bee chastized for his evill living nor shall not be rewarded for his well living knowing that chastizement is for the unbelievers and the reward for the faithfull in as much as God will chastize them that believe not on Christ and not believing on him doe not accept the covenant that hee set betweene God and man and that hee will reward them that shall believe in Christ and accept the covenant of Christ. They who in this manner know the Christian liberty having no regard neither to chastizement nor to punishment and having a regard to observe the decorum of those persons whom they represent in this present life that is to bee a member of Christ the most perfect head and to live in this life a life like unto that which they are to live in eternall life doe well exercise the Christian liberty For being governed by the holy spirit on one side they finde and know themselves to bee free and exempted from the law in so much that it seemes to them that they may say with S. Paul All things are lawfull unto me Neither fearing to be chastized for transgression nor hoping to bee rewarded for observation in which they feele and know the Christian liberty And on the other side they finde and know themselves obliged to be like unto Christ in their life and manners and therefore they say with S. Paul all things are not expedient And standing in this they exercise themselves in Christian liberty in such manner that Christian liberty consisteth in the abrogation of the law and is knowne when men doe not feare the chastizement of the transgression of the law nor pretend the reward of the observation thereof And it is well exercised when men observe the decorum that belongs to a Christian who is a member of Christ and ought in all his things to bee very conformable to Christ. Hence I gather that since men that divine Christian liberty by humane spirit and wit and Iudgment
martyrdome the shame and the ignominy that he shall suffer in the eyes of the men of this world in being wanting unto himselfe and to his and to his honour And so doing he shall follow me who haue been wanting unto my selfe making my selfe a servant of a Sonne that I might not be wanting to God and I haue been wanting to mine own not esteeming them for mine but those onely that God hath called and made mine making them holy and just And I haue been wanting to mine honour contenting my selfe to dye as a malefactour and so doing he shall follow me and shall be truly a Christian. In such manner as properly the injury and the shame that redounds to a Christian through the deniall of himselfe in being wanting to himselfe and to his and to his honour is the Christian Crosse is the selfe same as to goe after Christ. I would say these words of Christ are of as much value as if I should say he that will be a Christian let him esteem himselfe dead unto the world in as much as not to seek the Glory nor the reputation of the world and let him procure that which Christ procured seek that which Christ sought and in this manner he shall be a true Christian as they are who knowing themselves and feeling themselves bought by Christ doe hold him and knew him for their Lord and for their superior and doe worship in spirit and in truth the true God who is the Father of Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. LXV How that is to be understood which S. Paul saith that Christ reigneth and shall reigne untill the resurrection of the just being made he doe consigne his Kingdome to his eternall father THe men that reigne in the Kingdome of the world live under foure most cruell Tyrants the Divell the Flesh Honour and Death The Divell tyrannizeth them making them impious and enemies of God and oftimes bringeth them to that passe that they kill themselves by diverse waies The flesh tyrannizeth them making them vitious and licentious Honour tyrannizeth them making them light and vaine and presumptuous in such sort that they dye whilest they live Death Tyrannizeth them not suffering them to enjoy their prosperityes and happinesse cutting short their steps in them This tyranny none understand but they that feele it and they only feele it who being desirous to enter into the Kingdome of God doe procure to reduce themselves to Piety doe travell to Mortify the flesh and will resolve themselves with the world putting an end to glory and to their own honour and think to dispose themselves and to content themselves to dye For as soon as ever they would doe this they find difficulty in it they feele and experiment the tyranny and they know themselvs tyrannized These selfesame persons if so be their desire to enter into the Kingdome of God be a calling of God himselfe and not their proper fantasy accepting for their own the justice of God executed in Christ doe in this present life goe out of the tyranny of the three tyrants in going out of the Kingdome of the world and entering into the Kingdome of God wherein God reignes through Christ. I would say that Christ reignes as the Sonne of God he being in them that stand in his kingdome and with them properly the same which the head is in the Members of the body For as from the head there descends virtue and efficacy into the members of the body which are Governed by it even so from Christ there descends vertue and efficacy to them that are in the Kingdome of Christ with which they combate against the tyrants that hold other men tyrannized and so they are governed by Christ in this present life and by means of the same they shall obtain the resurrection and life everlasting and so they shall goe out of the tyranny of the fourth tyrant which is death and shall enter into the Kingdome of God where God shall reigne by himselfe In the mean space they being gone out of the Kingdome of the world having felt the tyranny of the four Tyrants doe feel the sweetnesse and pleasantnesse of the Kingdome of Christ feeling in themselves the virtue and efficacy of Christ and the government of the holy Spirit and feeling themselves Patrons and Lords of their sensuall appetites and of their affections of Honour and of the ambition of the world being resolv'd with themselves and with the world in as much as being incorporated in Christ they find their flesh dead and they finde dead in them the respect of the world and certifying themselves of their resurrection immortality and eternall life Which certification causeth in them this effect that albeit they feel death according to the body yet they feele it not as much as belongs to the soule through the certain hope of resurrection In this I understand consists the Kingdome of Christ And because the resurrection of the just being accomplished we shall not need to combate with the Divell there shall be no need to mortify the flesh nor to contrast with the world nor shall there be death to overcome I understand that S. Paul saith that then Christ shall consigne this Kingdome to the eternall Father and that God shall bee all in all ruling and governing every thing by himselfe in such manner as the Kingdome of Christ according to S. Paul shall indure untill the universall resurrection and the Kingdome of God in men shall then begin and shall be continuall men perpertually acknowledging the benefit receiv'd by Iesus Christ our Lord. Like as it betides unto a thirsty traveller to whom there is given a vessell of cold water who whilest he drinkes feeles the benefit of the vessell which gives him the water and having drunke albeit setting the vessell aside he thankes him that gave him to drinke neverthelesse he acknowledgeth that by means of the vessell he received that benefit In such manner that as the thankfull wayfairing man who is refreshed with the vessell of cold water whilst he drinkes feeles the benefit of the vessell and after he hath drunke feeling and knowing the benefit of him that gave him the vessell he knowes likewise the benefit of the vessell Even so men whilst they stand in this present life they feele the kingdome of Christ feeling the benefit of Christ and in eternall life they shall feele and know the benefit of God who hath given Christ unto them and they shall know the benefit of Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. LXVI In what manner the malignant spirit is more impetuous then the holy spirit BEing desirous to understand which spirit is more impetuous in a man the Holy or the Malignant I resolve my selfe that the malignant spirit is much more impetuous in the impious then the good spirit in the Pious being moved to this resolution for two Considerations of which the one is founded in the proper Nature of the spirits For the malignant is by nature
Countenance And I am also certain that God will shew it unto him when he shall please and as it shall please his divine Majesty accommodating himselfe to humane incapability which is most incapable of this inward vision And because the Christians incorporated in Christ who know God by the revelation of Christ by the communication of the holy spirit by the christian renovation and regeneration goe on making themselves capable of this inward vision going on neerer and neerer to impassibility and immortality it is truly said that we christians come to know God by Christ by a certain inward vision but in part as may be in this present life the perfect and intire vision being kept for the life eternall where perpetually seeing God face to face we shall be most blessed with Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. LXXXVI To know the inward Motions when they are of the holy spirit when of the malignant spirit and when of a mans proper spirit I Remember to have written in an Epistle in what sort men in this present life are moved to all things with one of these three spirits with the holy and divine spirit with a mans own and evill spirit with the malignant and diabolicall spirit And because I understand how much it imports to the who attend unto Christian perfection to be wise to know with what spirit they are moved to worke or not to worke I come a new to consider that we who attend to Christian perfection doe well know that to obtain that which we seek which is immortality and eternall life it becomes us to follow the motions of the holy spirit and to fly those of the Malignant spirit and to contrast with those of our own spirit Farther I consider that it befalls many that not knowing how to make difference between these Motions thinking to follow the holy spirit they follow the malignant spirit or goe after their own proper spirit Their error proceeding not because they know not where away they ought to goe for they well know they ought to goe towards eternall life nor because they know not the way for they know well that the way is piety justice and holinesse but from their not knowing in what thing properly piety justice holines doe consist for in case they knew it they would draw nigh to know when they are moved by the holy spirit when by the malignant spirit and when by their own proper spirit For in as much as a man goes on knowing in what thing properly piety justice and holinesse doe consist his eyes goe on opening to know when he is moved by one spirit and when by another without which knowledge a man that attends to Christian perfection is much like unto a ship which stands in the midst of the sea not knowing with what wind to saile because it hath lost the needle Having afterwards considered how that all this is true of which there is none that attends unto Christian piety but can give testimony I am come likewise to consider that after that a man who attends unto Christian piety knows that he travells towards life eternall and knowes that the way is piety justice and holinesse it is necessary that he should know that holinesse consisteth in the election of God that is that they only are holy whom God chooseth and accepteth for himselfe that justice consisteth in believing in Christ that is that they only are just who believing make Christs justice theirs and that piety consists in approving for good all that which God workes and to be contented therewith that is onely they are pious who with their mindes approve that which God workes and in such manner content themselves that they would not change nor alter it though they could For I understand that this being known a man begins to approach to know the motions of the spirit when they are of the good spirit and when they are of the evill spirit and when they are of a mans own spirit For as much as he holds for motions of the good spirit all those things which goe directed to answer unto the vocation of God to say with S. Paul Lord what wilt thou that I should doe And with Ananias Behold Lord here am I And all they which goe directed to believe in Christ to say alwaies Lord increase my faith And all they which goe directed to remit themselves in all things and altogether to God to suffer themselves to be ruled and governed of God approving and holding for good all that which God doth The selfe-same holds for ◅tions of the evill spirit all those which are contrary to these Hee holds for motions of his own spirit those which although they be not contrary to these are not cōtrary to himselfe By this I suppose every person who shall keep strict accompt with himselfe shall much approach to the true knowledge of the Spirits to understand with which of them he is to walk And I suppose that he should more and better approach certifying himselfe that those are motions of the holy Spirit which shal draw him to the imitation of Christ principally In as much as he was most obedient to his eternall Father in as much as in him was perfect charity in as much as hee had profound humility and most great meeknesse For it is certain that the holy spirit in them who are the members of Christ being the selfesame which was in Christ it doth inspire and move them unto that unto which it did inspire and move Christ he as head and as the lawfull Son we as members and adopted sonnes And certifying himselfe likewise that those are motions of the malignant spirit which are contrary to these And that those are motions of a mans own spirit which doe draw a man unto his proper interest to his proper honour glory to his proper recr◅ation satisfaction And moreover I doe not say hereby that he doth ascertain himself in making this difference of spirits in knowing these motions but I say that so a man comes approaching thereunto reserving the perfect and intire knowledge to thē who haue it by particular guift of God who know Satan even when he transforms himselfe into an Angell of light when he offers and propounds unto them things of apparent piety justice and holinesse to which time these advises doe properly belong it being as it is a very great inconvenience into which men fall when they erre pretending piety Finally I resolve my selfe in this that the man who desires to travell to God with prosperous winde pretends to recover in this present life the image of Christ setting Christ before his eyes and bringing himselfe to follow those Motions which Christ would haue followed and to contrast with those motions which Christ would not haue followed And this is that perfection which is proposed to all of us that are the members of Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. LXXXVII That all the creatures were spoyled in mans
Christ Iesus take this Treasure and thinke withall that the benefit lies not in having and possessing it but in the use and fruit that is thence to be gathered He hath made Consideration of these good things not to give nourishment to the imagination only but likewise to put in execution that which hath been considered and resolved on It is necessary indeed that wee should have the knowledge but it is necessary like wise to accompany the practice therewith in as much as the commendacommendation of every vâ—…rtue and art consisteth in the practice and in the performance of action agreeable to that vertue and Art And you that wast all your time idly in reading of Boccace his hundred Novelties and the like lay them a while aside and read these Considerations of Valdesso which are indeed truâ—… Novelties For in them is treated of that great Divine and ioyfull new and gladsome tydings of the Gospell of Iesus Christ of the great Pardon for sins of the Reconciliation made with God by the death of the Sonne of God Here you shall finde the true and holy Enamourments of God and of Christ with mankind Here you shall understand the true Embraces and the true Kisses given by meanes of the holy Spirit And last of all you shall here finde where the true delights and pleasures of those soules are which are enamoured of God and of Christ and disenamoured of the world And if happily the language seâ—…me not so spruce and dainty as that of Boccace call to minde that which great Paul the Apostle of Christ Iesus hath said that the Kingdome of God stands in the power of the Spirit and not in excellency of speech Howbeit to say truth neither is this manner of speech to be slighted For I verily find it exceeding proper and good to expresse that which is intended and that is the chiefe vertue of every Writer But I will here put an end to my discourse that I may no longer deprive you of the sacred reading of these divine Considerations which you also reading and that with diligence and praiers to God for me and all others shall take into due Consideration To the end that we may came all to be enamoured of Christ and incorporated in him as hee is incorporated in us To whom be Honour and Glory everlasting From Basill the 1 of MAY 1550. A TABLE OF THE HVNDRED AND TEN CONSIDERATIONS HOw it is to be understood That man was created after the Image and Likenesse of God 2 That mans happinesse consisteth in knowing God and that wee cannot know God except we first know Christ. 3 In what the Sonnes of God differ from the Sonnes of Adam 4 From whence the revengefull affection proceedes in men And what effects the long sufferance causeth wherewith God goes deferring the revenge of those iniuries which men doe unto him 5 The difficulty that is to enter into the Kingdome of God how it is to be entred and in what it consists 6 Two Depravations of man the one naturall the â—…ther acquisite 7 That God will that wee should remit unto him the execution of all our desires 8 The Covenant whiâ—…h Iesus Christ our Lord made between God and man 9 An excellent Priviledge of Piety 10 In what manner the estate of the Christian person that believes with difficulty is better then of that person â—…hat believes with ease 11 In what manner Gods being Iust doth râ—…dound to the profit of them that by Revelation believe in Christ. 12 In what manner the reason of our inward man serves us to that which the eyes of our outward man 13 A Comparison which sheweth in what the benefit which the Regeneration of mankind hath received from God by Christ Iesus doth consist 14 Amongst the things which Christian piety obligeth us to believe what that is which is believed with greatest difficulty 15 How Christian persons ought to governe themselve in their tribulations afflictions and troubles 16 That the promises of God belong to them who believe them 17 In what manner a man ought to resolve himselfe touching the world and touching himselfe that he may become a true Christian. 18 In what things that person ought to be exercised who pretends and desires to enter and to persevere in the Kingdome of God and what a man puts of his owne thereunto 19 That the Christian life consisteth in this that a man esteeme himselfe dead to the world and pretend to live to God 20 That in the infirmity amendment and health of the mind men ought to governe themselves as in those of the body 21 The difference of sinnes and sinners The obligatioâ—…s of piety The signes of piety and impiety 22 For what reason God gives a child unto a pious person and suddenly takes him away 23 That in him whom God disenamours of the world and enamours of himselfe the selfe same things be fall as doe to him that disenamours himselfe of one woman and emours himselfe of another 24 That those persons who are governed by the holy Spirit in their serving of God pretend to encrease in the love of God 25 In what sort pious persons are moved to put in execution the Justice of God 26 That the flesh whilst it is unregenerated flesh is the enemy of God and that Regeneration is properly the worke of the holy Spirit 27 That by Mortification a Christian man maintaines himselfe in his resolution and by reduoing of his mind to God he maintaines himselfe in the certainty of Gods Providence 28 For a man to assure himselfe of his Vocation 29 That to believe with difficulty is a signe of Uocation 30 That God in communicating spirituall things unto us dealeth as in giving us the fruits of the earth 31 That the livelinesse of affections is more dammageable then that of the Appetites and that it is necessary that both the one and the other should be mortified 32 In what consisteth the abuse and in what coâ—…sisteth the use of Images and of the holy Scriptures 33 In what manner through the patience and through the consolation of the Scriptures wee maintaine our selves in hope 34 In what doth consist the benefit which men have obtatned from God by Christ. 35 Whence it is that that difficulty comes which pious persons have to continue in that which appertaines to piety and justification 36 In what the Christian liberty doth consist hoâ—… it is knowne and how it is exercised 37 That they that know God by mens relation have a false opinion of him and they that know him by the holy spirit have a good 38 By a comparison is shewed in what the errour of false Christians doth consist and what thing that is which true Christians doe 39 That quickening answereth to mortification and the glory of the resurrection answereth to quickening 40 Two wills in God one mediate and another immediate 41 That God will that pious persons should know that all things are to come from him and that they
should pretend to have them all of him 42 In what sort a pious person ought to governe himselfe in the state of prosperity and in inward adversities 43 How a pious person may assure himselfe to have obtained piety and justification by the spirit and not by humane wisdome 44 In what manner a man shall know what frâ—…it heâ—… hath made in mortification and what is the cause that they who apply themselves to piety are sollicited by affections and appetites with which they were never before sollicited 45 Whenâ—…e the feare of death proceeds in pious persons and that it is a signe of Predestination for a man to content himselfe that there should be another life 46 That they who walke through the Christian path without the inward light of the holy spirit are like unto them that walke in the night without the light of the Sun 47 Foure Countersignes to know them by who pretend piety and the spirit not having either tâ—…e one or the other 48 That he who prayes and workes and understands doth then pray worke and understand as he ought when he is inspired to pray to worke and to understand 49 Whence it proceeds that humane wisdome will not attribute all things to God and in what manner they ought to be attributed to him 50 In what the depravation of man doth consist and in what his reparation doth consist In what Christian perfection doth consist 51 In what manner God makes himselfe to be felt and in what manner God makes himselfe to be seene 52 That a Christian ought to put an end to the affection of ambition which doth consist in growing and also to that which doth consist in conserving 53 In what matter the men of the world attending unto honour are lesse viâ—…ious then attending unto conscience 54 That prayer and consideration are two bookes or interpreters very sure ones to understand holy Scripture and how a man ought to serve himselfe of them 55 Against curiosity and how the holy Scriptures ought to be read without curiosity 56 Which is the most certaine and most secure way to obtaine perfect mortification 56 Whence it comes to passe that by the knowledge and sence of the things of God the flesh is mortified 58 Eight differences between them who pretend and procure to mortify themselves with their proper industry and them who are mortified by the holy spirit 59 That in the motives to pray the spirit doth certify a man that he shall obtaine that which he demands 60 Whence it proceeds that the superstitious are severe and the true Christians are mercifull and pitifull 61 In what manner a pious person governes himselfe in those things that befall him 62 That humane wisdome hath no more Jurisdiction in the judgement of their works who are Sonnes of God then in the judgement of the proper works of God 63 That the holy Scripture is like a candle in a darke place and that the holy spirit is like the Sunne this shewed by seven conformities 64 In what manner Jesus Christ our Lord will bee followed and imitated 65 How that is to be understood which S. Paul saith that Christ reigneth and shall reigne untill the resurrection of the just be made when he doth consigne his kingdome to his Eternall Father 66 In what manner the malignant spirit is more Impetuous then the holy spirit 67 That in the regenerate onely by the holy spirit there being experience of the things of God there is also certification of them 68 That the desire of knowledge is an imperfection in a man contrary to the judgement of humane wisdome 69 That a man ought alwaies to acknowledge himselfe incredulous and defective in faith and that there is so much faith in a man as there is knowledge of God and Christ. 70 In what those three guifts of God faith hope and charity doe consist and in what their eminency amongst othâ—…r guifts doth consist and the eminency of charity amongst the thee guifts 71 Upon the most holy prayer of Our Father 72 That man pretending that part of the image of God which did not appertaine unto him lost that part which did appertaine to him 73 That the Vnion betweene God and man is made by love that love growes from knowledge what a kinde of thing knowledge love and Vnion is 74 That it betides to pious persons in spirituall things as it befalls in outward things â—…o him who having beene blinde begins to see 75 How it is understood that God coummunicates unto us his divine treasures by Christ how God reignes by Christ and how Christ is the head of the Church 76 What thing scandall is and in what manner Christian persons ought to governe themselves in the scandall 77 Two contrarities betweene them that live according to the flesh and them that live according to the spirit 78 Two griefes one according to the world and the other according to God and two weakenesses one according to the flesh and the other according to the spirit 79 How perilous the errours be which men doe pretending piety 80 What Gods intent is demanding of mâ—…n that which of themselves alone they cannot give him and why he gives them not at once all that which he will give them 81 Two weaknesses in Christ and his members and Two Powers in him and them 82 In what properly consisteth that Agony which Iesus Christ our Lord felt in his Passion and in his death 83 Five considerations in the resurrection of Christ. 84 That only the incoporation in Christ is that which mortifies 85 Foure manners by which a christian knowes God by meanes of Christ. 86 To know the inward motions when thâ—…y are of the holy when they are of the malignant spirit and when of a mans proper spirit 87 That all the creatures were spoyled in mans depravation and that they shall be restored in mans reparation 88 What the cause may be that God commanded man that he should not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evill 89 Six causes for which it seemes necessary that the Sonne of God should live in tâ—…at manner and that forme of life wherein he did live 90 In what the christian perfection the duty and dâ—…corum doe consist 91 That onely the Sonnes of God have certaine satisfaction in every thing 92 In what manner mortification is the proper countersigne by which we know our selves the Sonnes of God 93 That that suffering is most christian and most acceptable to God in which he that suffers findes least of his owne will 94 Three sorts of conscience one by the law naturall the other by the written lawes and the other by the Gospell 95 That men are incapable of the divine generation of the Sonne of God and of the spirituall regeneration of the â—…onnes of God 96 That then a man knowes himselfe a Pilgrim in this world when because God loves him the world persecutes him 97 Whether justification be a fruit of piety and
them for this but for another And for a man to be thus not contented of this life only as I understand it is a great countersigne for a man to bee assured of his piety and of his Predestination For I hold for certaine that to them to whom God meanes to give eternall life hee doth also put a great love and great affection of it in such sort that hee who shall finde in his minde a desire that there were no other life let him hold himselfe impious although hee would choose to die and let him not despaire For albeit he be out of piety hee ought to thinke that God is able to draw him out of it as he hath drawn and doth draw all them that have beene and are in it And hee who shall finde in his minde a love of eternall life not contenting himselfe with ◅his present may hold himselfe for pious and for predestinated unto life everlasting although he feare death considering all this which hath beene said and above all that even the only Begotten Sonne of God feared Death Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. XLVI That they who walke through the Christian path without the inward light of the holy Spirit are like unto them that walke in the night without the light of the Sunne ALL they who being guided only by their naturall light and by humane wisdome presume to understand the things that are of the Spirit of God to walk in the Christian way that is to live Christianly I liken them to a man that goes by night with the light only of his own eyes through a way that is full of dangers and inconveniencies And it seemes to me that as to such a one sometimes a piece of wood will seeme a thiefe and a stone an armed man and thereupon he will fly and be afraid and another time the water will seeme a stone and he will wet himselfe and the shadow will seeme to him a tree and thinking to leane to it he will fall on the ground Even so neither more nor lesse hee that walkes Gods way being guided by his naturall light is sometimes affrighted by those things which ought not to affright him and is sometimes secured and reposeth himselfe on those things on which he ought not to secure nor repose And so going hee goes on groping like a man amazed and without knowing what he doth Hee that walkes by the light of the holy Scripture and by the examples of Saints but without the Spirit I liken him unto one that walkes by night carying a candle in his hand and goes not altogether in the darke but yet notwitstanding he goes not without feare nor hee goes not secure in his minde nor certaine not to fall into many inconveniences Whereupon I understand that as to the traveller of whome I have spoken that travels by night by the light of his owne eyes only the best and most wholesome counsell that could be given him were that hee should stay in his journey whilst the night lasteth untill such time as the ◅unne were risen and would shew him the way and the things that are in it and he might travell being helped by the light of his own eyes Even so to him that walkes Gods way only with his naturall light with the testimony of Scriptures and with the example of Saints the best and most wholesome counsell that could be given him is that he should firme himselfe in his journey whilst the night of his owne proper blindnesse continueth untill such time that God send him his spirit by meanes whereof with his naturall light◅ and with his wisedome hee may be able well to understand the journee and to see all that is therein And if any person shall demand me saying How shall I doe to firme my selfe in this journey I will answer him Exercise not thy selfe in any thing pretending Iustification thereby nor Religion of any sort nor of any quality and pray God affectionately that hee would send thee his Spirit which may be unto thee as a Sunne in this journey wherein by thine owne wisedome thou neither knowest nor canst travell and stand attentive all the time that God shall deferre to send unto thee his Spirit applying thy selfe to all those things which offer themselves to thee in which thou knowest true piety without any mixture of superstition and content thy selfe of whatsoever God doth and be discontented of all whatever thou dost thy selfe This is that which I should say unto him And I understand that as if the sunne should breake forth altogether with all his splendor it would in such sort blind the eyes of the Traveller of whom I have spoken that he would not be able to make any more use of them then as if it were night Even so in like manner if the Spirit of God should at once give unto a person all that knowledge which he gives in lengh of time it would blind him and put him in greater inconvenience then at first And because this is true I understand that our God rich in liberality and in mercy gives unto us his spirit and he gives it unto us in such manner as it may helpe and not harme us not according to our appetites but according to his eternall wisedome by which as a good Father he governeth them who are his sonnes remaining incorporated in his only Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. XLVII Foure Counter-signes to know them by who pretend piety and the spirit not having either the one or the other VNderstanding that the false Prophets of whom our Lord Iesus Christ counselleth us to beware because they shew themselves as Sheep and are Wolves are properly those who having entred themselves into Christian piety pretending by their own exercises and by their own industry to obtain the spirit of God and to become spirituall and not being able to compasse their intent remain alwaies impious in their minds although they dissemble and feigne piety as much as it may bee feigned with strange superstitiōns and other ceremonies which haue an appearance of piety understanding likewise that the cause why Iesus Christ our Lord ◅aith unto us That we should beware of them is because they are the most pernitious pestilence that can be for them who attend unto piety in as much as having ◅ost the shame of the world and having renounced honour and outward reputation and having lost the respect unto God and to all religion they doe only attend to doe all the dammage that they can to piety and to those persons that attend unto it finding the dore open thereunto by the communication and conversation that they haue with such persons Now desiring that pious and spirituall persons should know these kinds of Wolves that make themselus Sheep and knowing them should beware to converse and deale with them with that dove-like simplicity which they haue obtained through the holy Spirit using that serpentine wisdome which is naturall unto them I haue
God without depraving themselves and without loosing charity nay rather illustrating the glory of God mortifying themselves and growing in charity they come to belieue that God doth all things some with his mediate will and others with his immediate will some as in vessels of hatred of wrath and disfavour and others as in vessels of loue of mercy and favour And those are they who amongst all men are pious knowing God and are iust knowing the Son of God Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. L. In what the Depravation of man doth consist and in what his Reparation doth consist In what Christian Perfection doth consist COnsidering that which I understand and know of Gods being in as much as he is impassible and immortall and in as much as he is wise just and mercifull faithfull and true and considering that which I understand and know of the being of a man in as much as he is passible and Mortall and in as much as he is ignorant impious vindicative false and a lier And understanding by the testimony of holy Scripture that man in his first creation was created after the Image and similitude of God I come to understand that there is as much difference from the kinde of being in which God created man to that kinde of being wherein hee now is and abides as from that being which I know of God to that being which I know of man And knowing by testimony of holy Scripture that for the sinne of the first man from that first perfect being and that being like unto God man is come to this imperfect being and like unto the being of other animals in as much as pertaines to his body and to the being of evill spirits as touching his soule I come to understand that the evill which is to come to mankind by the sinne of the first man consists in this that of impassible he is become passible subject to cold and to heate to hunger and to thrist with all other corporall incommodities and of immortall hee is become mortall subject unto death and of wise he is become ignorant of just impious of mercifull vindicative of faithfull false and of true a lier Whereby I understand that because the evill into which mankinde fell through sin toucheth men in their bodies and in their mindes the grace which God hath pleased to doe unto mankinde by meanes of Iesus Christ our Lord appertaines likewise both to bodies and to mindes and so it is that assoone as a man is called of God he doth accept for his the Iustice of God executed on Christ being made a member of Christ hee begins to be partaker of that first Reparation which is of the minde and is by the death of Christ And it is also true that that man who shall depart from this life a member of Christ shall be partaker of the last Reparation which shall be of the body and shall be by the resurrection of Christ and shall be in the generall resurrection of all men in such sort as they who are members of Christ by the death of Christ doe repaire the evill of their mindes in this present life if not altogether yet in part and they doe repaire by the resurrection of Iesus Christ the evill of their body in life everlasting and then shall they have recovered intirely that Image and that similitude of God with which they were created being in their bodies impassible and immortall and being in their mindes just wise mercifull faithfull and true in which I understand our whole felicity doth consist After that I have understood all this I resolve my selfe that the proper exercise of a Christian in this present life is to attend unto the reparation of his minde to recover the image and similitude of God with which he was created And albeit as I haue said so much of this is recovered as there is as a man may say of the incorporation in the death of Christ in a man neverthelesse I understand it appertaines to a Christian to exercise him selfe to recover it in this manner When he shall be sollicited by the depravation of his minde unto impiety remembring himselfe that God is just he shall say no to me it belongs to be just and not impious When he shall be sollicited unto revenge remembring himselfe that God is mercifull he shall say no to me it appertaines to be mercifull and not vindicatiue When he shall be sollicited unto wrath remembring himselfe that God is patient he shall say no to me it appertaines to be patient and not wrathfull When he shall be sollicited to falsity and lyes remembring himselfe that God is faithfull and true he shall say no to me it appertaines to be faithfull and true When he shall be sollicited to desire to bee esteemed and prized of the men of this world remembring himselfe that God is a Pilgrim and stranger in this present life he shall say no for to me it appertaines to be a pilgrim and stranger with God that I may be altogether like unto God And finally when he shall be sollicited to any thing which may redound to the hurt of his neighbour in any sort whatsoever remembring himselfe that God loues men so much that to repaire their evill and dammage in which they were thrown down headlong he gaue his own Son unto death hee shall say no to me it appertaines to haue loue and charity And so running through all those things with which a man may be sollicited by his own affections through the depravation of the minde he shall finde perfections in God with which he may represse them and so by litle and litle hee shall goe augmenting in himselfe the reparation of his minde which is the first thing and hee shall goe every houre more abilitating the reparation of his body which is the last And in this exercise I understand the Christian perfection consisteth I would say that 〈◊〉 is a Christian more or lesse perfect in this life 〈◊〉 â—…ch as occupying himselfe more or lesse in this exercise he doth obtain more or lesse of that part which is to be gotten in this present life of the image and likenesse of God with which he was created And for this cause I understand that our Lord Iesus Christ concludeth his discourses of Christian perfection saying Be you perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect As if he should haue said Finally I say unto you that you attend to be like unto God in perfection He is perfect and you also attend to bee perfect as he is And this is properly a Christian admonition in as much as it is of Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. LI. In what manner God makes himselfe to be felt and in what manner God makes himselfe to bee seene HAving oftentimes said that to those persons who are entered into the kingdome of God accepting the grace of the Gospell God makes them to Feele his presence and to the selfe same he lets his presence
diligence which a man useth with intent to increase his estate his honour and his reputation and to conserve himselfe in that which he hath got In such sort as there are two parts of the Ambitious Affection the first to encrease the second to maintain Humane wisdome judgeth them free from the affection of Ambition who set an end to growing and in very truth they are free from a good part thereof Yet the other remains which is so much harder to leave by how much humane wisdome doth not know it nay rather judgeth them vile and of no worth that haue it not But the holy Spitit which knows it judgeth them ambitious which haue it will that they whom he governs should utterly leaue it renounce it and free themselves in such manner that they haue no intent to grow in the eyes of the world nor haue intent to conserve themselves although it require not of them that they should studiously and for their own phantasies doe things by which they should come to bee abased and diminished from that state of honour and reputation wherein they finde themselves contenting it selfe that they should reduce their mindes to increase decrease according as it shall be Gods will And it will also that together herewith they should employ themselues altogether in all things to augment themselves in the eyes of God and to conserve themselves in that wherein they shall be augmented And therefore to the pious Christian who ought to learne humility of Christ to reduce himselfe to be like unto Christ in his humility it appertaines to set an end to all ambition dispoyling himselfe of all affection and thoughts touching his advancement in the things of this world or touching his conserving himselfe in them thinking only to augment himselfe in the things of God Trusting Hoping Loving and procuring to conserve himselfe in that which he shall haue obtained touching Confidence Hope and Loue resolving himselfe that that which appertaines to him is to please God and them who are partakers of the Spirit of God and not the world nor those who follow the opinions and counsels of humane wisdome and doing so they shall become like our Lord Iesus Christ. CONSID. LIII In what manner the men of the world attending unto Honour are lesse vitious then attending unto conscience ALL men are generally maligne and perverse in so much as to walke amongst them is the same as to walk amongst Tygres and Lions and amongst Vipers and Serpents except only in as much as their furies and their outrages are tied by some chaines amongst which the chiefest and most strong are Honour in as much as pertaines to this present life and Conscience for the life to come I would say that the intent of the Honour of the world doth bridle some men that they are not so vitious nor so licentious in their living as they would be following their naturall inclination And some other men the feare of eternall punishment bridleth for they think if I doe this I shall offend God and he will chastise me with eternall punishment And this is the conscience in such manner that a man may say that all men who are not governed by the holy spirit are like many Lions that sta◅d chained that they should not doe harme but in such manner◅ as breaking the chaines with their fury they doe evill according to their naturall inclination in as much as the men that stand bound with these chaynes doe not evill nor are licentious but the chaines being broken with their fury and rage they doe evill according to their naturall inclination Whereupon considering that of these chaines with which men stand bound the strongest is the honour of the world in as much as a man doth more easily cast his conscience behind then his honor I come to understād that the men who attend unto the honor of the world because they are tyed with the stronger chayne are amongst the other men of the world the least vitious and least licentious partly by their own proper inclinations for being subject to the goverment of humane wisdome they doe much esteem Honour partly for respect of those persons with whom they take counsell who being partly themselves applyed to Honour and understanding it doe alwaies counsell rightly according to that which belongs to Honour which doth not so happen in conscience in as much as a man is not of himselfe inclined unto it either because he doth not believe more then he sees or because he doubts or because he puts himselfe upon the hazard and in as much as willing to be counselled in those things whereof he doubts he takes counsell with other men who neither are applied to conscience nor understand it and so cannot counsell rightly accorping to that which is due to conscience That this is true he shall clearly know whosoever shall come to examine himselfe finding it true that they doe more esteem Honour then Conscience and that they are more resolutely and more virtuously counselled in a businesse when they put it in a case of Honour then when they put it in a case of conscience And it may bee that the cause wherefore according as it is reported they liue lesse vitiously amongst the Infidels then amongst those who are called Christians is because they in most things attend unto Honour and these in many things attend unto Conscience Out of this generality I except regenerated men renewed by the holy spirit who without being bound with chaines liue modestly and temperately In this they are governed by the holy Spirit which is communicated unto them that belieue In whom this goverment is so powerfull that without being bound with any chayne for they feare not dishonour nor are of scrupulous conscience and yet they passe the men of the world in not being vitious and licentious having slaine all their affections on the Crosse of Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. LIIII That Prayer and Consideration are two books or Interpreters very sure ones to understand holy Scripture and how a man ought to serve himselfe of them I Hold it for a very certain and very true thing that for the understanding of holy Scripture the best the most certain and the highest interpreters of all that a man can finde are these two Prayer and Consideration Prayer as I understand discovers the way and opens and manifesteth it And Consideration I understand puts a man into it and makes him walke therein Furthermore I understand that it is necessary that these two interpreters or books should bee helped on Gods part he inspiring him who prayes to pray For I understand that he who prayes not being inspired to pray praies out of his own proper phantasie out of his owne proper affection and out of his own proper will and not knowing to pray as he ought is not heard in his prayer and he who prayes being inspired to pray prayes for the glory of God and prayes for the will of
most christianly and when they would bring themselves with humane industry to have confidence to believe and love finde most difficulty in this are true Christians incorporated in Iesus Christ our Lord. CONSID. LXXVIII Two griefes one according to the world and the other according to God And two weaknesses one according to the flesh and the other according to the Spirit AS Saint Paul puts two griefes one according to the world and saith that this causeth death and the other according to God and saith that this causeth life Even so I put two weaknesses one according to the Flesh and I understand that this causeth feare and another according to the spirit and I understand this causeth love And I put them because I feele them in the Griefes which S. Paul puts understanding that then a man feeles griefe according to the world when he falls into some such inconvenience as causeth shame or losse or any other discommodity in the eyes of the world in the reputation and dignity of the world And I understand that this griefe causeth death in as much as a man that grieves in this manner except he speedily remedy his griefe becomes blasphemous against God in as much as attributing unto him the cause of his griefe he laments of him and by being blasphemous against God he comes to get himselfe eternall death In the selfe same manner I understand that then a man feeles griefe according to God when he falls into any inconvenience by reason whereof he feares to be deprived of the grace of God and of the holy spirit of Christ and of God himselfe And I understand that this griefe causeth life in as much as he who is grieved in this manner doth more and better know himselfe and ◅o doth more cordially recommend and remit himselfe to God and from this recommending himselfe to God he comes to obtain resurrection and life everlasting For the two weaknesses which I put I understand that a man is then weak according to the flesh when his weaknesse growes from selfe love And I call weaknesse to resente himselfe for those things which come to passe against his will This weaknesse I understand causeth feare for where selfe-love is there is alwaies fear And I understand that this weaknesse is tolerable in Christian persons being no signe of impiety but of imperfection ◅n the selfe same manner I understand that a man is then weak according to the spirit when his weaknesse growes from the love of God resenting himselfe when he sees himselfe deprived of God or of any of the things that are of God which are meanes to him to grow in the love of God and in the confidence in God This weaknesse I understand causeth love because it proceeds from love and so is converted into love and is therefore laudable and a signe of christian perfection Weaknesse according to the Flesh but not blame-worthy I understand was that which S. Paul felt for the reprobation of the Hebrewes And weaknesse according to the spirit I understand was that which S. Paul ◅elt through the sting of the flesh and that which he felt for the sicknesse unto death of his friend And that also was weaknesse according to the spirit which they of Miletum felt for the departure of S. Paul Whence I gather that Christian persons ought not to grieve themselves much in their weaknesses that are according to the flesh since in them they be tolerable for they are not mortall And that the selfesame Christian persons ought to rejoyce much in their weaknesses which are according to the spirit in as much as they are signes of perfection and the way of vivification of resurrection and of eternall life The sons of this world feele the griefe that is according to the world but they doe not feele the griefe which is according to God And those of God feele the one and the other griefe the one in as much as Adam lives in them and the other in as much as Christ lives in them The sons of this world have indeed the weaknesse that is according to the flesh but all of them doe not know it for weaknesse neither feele it as such The weaknesse which is according to the spirit they neither have nor know nor feele And the sons of God have know and feele both the weaknesses knowing in the weaknesse that is according to the flesh the reliques of the old Adam and knowing in the weaknesse that is according to the spirit the renovation of the new Adam our Lord Iesus Christ. CONSID. LXXIX How perilous the errors be which men doe pretending piety I Hold for certaine that amongst those errors which wee who are the sons of God committing may offend God the greatest are those which are committed pretending piety That this is true I see as well by the rigorousnesse with which God hath chastized these errors according as it is read in holy Scripture as also because it appeares in the selfe same Scripture that God hath with his hand restrained them who have been his not consenting that they should fall into these kind of errors not having done the same in other errors wherein they have had intention to satisfy their appetitites and affections Of the rigorousnesse with which God hath chastized them who have erred pretending piety he might principally give testimony who willing to hold up the Arke of the Testimony which to his seeming was about to fall died instantly And Saul who was deprived of the kingdome of Israell and perpetually deprived of the grace of God for the sacrifize that he made to God for the victory that he had against certain nations of which God had given him command that he should not leave any live thing which should not passe the edge of the sword Whereupon if any shall demand saying Why then hath not God used the selfe-same rigorousnesse with others who have erred more perniciously pretending piety as a man might say with S. Paul who before he was a Christian pretending piety persecuted and slew the Christians I will make answer First that as hitherto God hath not given me the accompt thereof And then I will say that God doth not use this rigorousnesse except with them who are of the number of his And S. Paul when he was in that error was not in the number of those who were Gods the Hebrew people having then left to be the people of God and therefore his error was not chastized as that of Vzzahs nor as that of Sauls That God hath restrained with his hand his elect not suffering them to erre in piety albeit he haue suffered thē to erre in other things it serves me for a most effectuall example that which is written of David who pretending piety desired to build the Temple of Hierusalem and God did not consent thereunto because it was not his will that he should build it unto him and therefore hee should haue erred if he had builded it And the
understand that this word of God as Isaia saith 53. was prosperous in Christ in as much as that came to passe which God pretended in him and by him And so I understand that it is one and the selfe same word that of which S. John saith In the begining was the word and the word was with God and the word was God And more beneath And the word was made flesh And with that which S. Paul saith Colos. 1. For by him all things were created that are in heaven and that are in earth But setting my selfe to search in what thing this divine generation of the son of God of the Word of God doth consist in what manner the Son is generated of the Father for what â—…ause the Word is called the Son and the Son is called the Word I finde my selfe so uncapable of this intelligence that I anew confirme my selfe in that which I have written in another consideration saying that as the wormes which are bred of the corruption of the earth are altogether uncapable of the manner by which one man is generated by another man even so the men who are generated by carnall generation are altogether uncapable not only of the manner how the son of God was generated but also of the manner how the sons of God are regenerated by the holy spirit of God And if I should understand in what manner Moses and David S. Iohn and S. Paul understood it that God created all things by his Word I should also understand this divine secret which I goe searching out wherein I goe considering the power where with Christ also in his humble state did that which he would being suddenly obeyed by his creatures without that any gave any farther impediment then was granted unto them If it shall please God that I be capable of this divine secret before I goe out of this present life I will also adjoyne that here which hee shall teach mee to his glory and of Christ and of those who are the sonnes of God in Christ and through Christ. Otherwise I will content my selfe of this for I am sure that I shall see with these corporall eyes in life eternall that which at present I desire to see with the eyes of my mind And in the mean space I rejoyce in this that at present I know that this Word of God this son of God with whom by whom God hath created and repaired all things is of the selfe-same substance of the Father and one selfe same thing with him and is eternall as is he I understand that the holy spirit accommodating it selfe to our incapacity speaking with us useth these words used amongst us such as are Word and Sonne not to the end that by them we should comprehend the divine secret but because we may have some name of him According to this divine generation I understand that Christ is the first begotten son of God by his eternity that he was alwaies the Son and that he is the only begotten sonne of God by his singularity that he is only the Sonne by generation all others that are Sonnes being Sonnes by regeneration For what belongs to the divine generation of Christ I understand that in him was neither diminution nor augmentation He was the same before his incarnation that he was in his incarnation and that he is in his glorification According to the human generation I understand that Christ by the work of the holy spirit was generated in the womb of the most holy Virgin in what manner I know not to me it sufficeth to know that the flesh with which the Word of God cloathed it selfe in this world was taken from that most holy Virgin For according to this flesh I know Christ for the Son of David and of Abraham And I see now in part fulfilled in him the promises of God made unto David as much as belongs to the perpetuity of the Kingdome in his seed and those made unto Abraham as much as belongs to the multiplication of his seed and as much as belongs to the inheritance of the world And I expect to see them intirely compleat in life eternall the resurrection of the just being made According to this human generation I know in Christ two Times the one of shame and the other of glory In the time of his opprobry I know him a man passible and mortall with all the miseries which being annexed unto passibility and mortality doe grow in a man that lives in poverty And I know him with a flesh like unto mine saving that his was not sinfull flesh nor flesh subject unto sinne as mine is In this time I know Christ most humble and most meek he esteeming himselfe for that which he was in that being in which he stood cloathed with flesh as one disguised amongst men that he might be handled of men as man In this selfe same time I know Christ most obedient to his eternall father most cleane from all sinne and therefore most iust and most holy in such manner as he might securely say to them who persecuted him and calumniated him who of you can convince me of sin Joh. 8. And S. Paul speaking of him might well say 2. Cor. 5. He who knew no sinne And S. Peter 1. 2. who did no sinne nor was any guile found in his mouth And of this innocency of Christ all the Scriptures are full as of a most necessary thing to be understood of all them who know themselves iust in him and by him In the time of glory I know Christ a man impâ—…ssible and immortall and I know him most glorious and most triumphant as he who hath gotten absolute power in heaven and in earth having obtained the kingdome of God and the inheritance of God for Gods elect having slain all of them in him raised them all up in him and glorified them all in him And so that comes to be of them which is of him In this time I know Christ for Lord for Head and for King of the people of God of the Church of God and of the elect of God I know Christ for Lord of the elect of God because I understand that he hath redeemed them with his pretious bloud delivering them from sin from hell and from death in which things the first man had set them and unto which things he had obliged and made them subject And because the Apostles in their Writings doe joy to call Christ Holy they know Christ for the Head of the Church of God For I understand that God having put in him his holy spirit with all the treasures of his divinity he communicates and distributes them most liberally to those who being incorporated in him appertain to the Church of God to every one according to his capacity doing with them that which my head doth with my body In so much as that as my hand if it could speak would say and affirme that it feeles that from my head there
sonne would not for all that ac◅ompt themselves pardoned and so not return to the kingdome And I understand likewise that neither that Prince to whom this should thus happen should attaine his intention in as much as hee sent his sonne to no other purpose then to the end that being acknowledged for his Sonne hee might bee credited in that which hee manifested so neither doth it seem that God attaines his intention in those who knowing Christ for the sonne of God yet not giving confidence to that which hee gives them notice of on Gods behalfe doe not esteem themselves for reconciled to God He attaines his intention onely in those who knowing Christ to be the son of God and giving confidence to that which hee gives them notice of on Gods behalfe doe accompt themselves for reconciled to God and so for pious for just and for holy It is very true indeed that the knowledge which they haue of Christ as the son of God who feel not themselves reconciled to God cannot properly be tearmed knowledge being more properly opinion then knowledge for were it knowledge it would work in them the same effect that it doth in others certifying them of their reconciliation with God and giving them peace in their consciences And moreover know that by Letter S. Paul understands all that which a man doth saith thinketh without being inspired thereunto by God albeit they be such matters as other men have said done and thought being inspired thereunto Letter it was in S. Peter when in Antioch he severd himselfe from the conversation of the Gentiles because he would not scandalize the Iews and Spirit it was in S. Paul when he did reprehend him for it Know further that by Faith S. Paul understands the credit that a man gives to the pardon generall which Christ published which is now in Christs name on Christs behalfe published And that by Hope he understands the patience and sufferance wherewith a man that believes doth hope for the accomplishment of that which he believes without being wearied in his hope and without giving over the pursuit of that which he hopes for And that by Charity he understands that inward bowelly affection wherewith a man that believes and hopes doth loue that which he believes and that which hee hopes for loving God and Christ from whom and by whom he hopes to obtain that which he believes that which hee hopes and that which he loves and loving also all those things that are Gods and that are Christs Know moreover that by the Justice of God S. Paul understands the perfection of God As we when wee would signifie a man to be perfect say he is just our meaning being this that there is nothing in him that is not very good and in effect that there is nothing wanting to him By the Grace of God he understands the favour that God shews unto a man in drawing him to accept the pardon generall and in maintaining and increasing him with other inward favours which are called Grace inasmuch as God bestows them graciously without any respect of desert onely because it is his will That by the Guift of God he chiefly meanes his having given Christ unto us to the end that the rigor of his justice being executed on him we should hold for certain the pardon generall and hee understands particularly those outward guifts of the holy spirit which in S. Pauls time were in abundance cōmunicated to them that believed That by sinne he almost alwaies understands the affection and the appetite to sin which lives in a man through his naturall depravation and through his acquisite and I say almost in as much as some times he meanes by sinne the sacrifice for sinne That by the Old man he understands the man that is not regenerated nor renewed by the holy Spirit And by the New man he understands the man that is renewed and regenerated by the holy spirit And know likewise that by Flesh by the carnall man by the body of sinne and by the law of the members he understands the selfe same that he doth by the Old man that is nature without the spirit and know that by the law of God he understands that which God gave unto the Hebrew people by Mos◅s which sometimes he termes the Law of death because it was its part to condemne and other where he calls i◅ the Law of sinne because it stirred up in men the affections and appetites of sinning That by the Law of the spirit he understands faith by Circumcision he meanes Iudaisme and by Vncircumcision he understands the state of the Gentiles And finally know that by Christian liberty he understands the degree state and dignity unto which God advanceth a man that accepts the grace of the Gospell who being regenerated and renowed and made the son of God is free and exempt from those things whereunto other men are subject in as much as he maintaines himselfe in his regeneration and renovation and doth not deprive himselfe of that sonship for which he is governed and ruled by the spirit of God Of all this you may serve your selfe as it were of a guide by meanes whereof you may understand many of the things which you shall read in S. Paul And because it may perhaps cause admiration in you to see that S. Paul setting himselfe to reprehend vices in some of them to whom he writes and admonishing them of those vices from which they ought to beware names certain vices which are shamefull even in the men of the world So that it may seeme strange that there should be any necessity of admonishing Christian persons touching those vices and that withall he scarce toucheth those vices which are more inward and more pernitious You shall know that in as much as in S. Pauls time there were some who made carnall licentiousnesse of Christian liberty and gave themselves unto vices and villanies it was necessary that S. Paul should touch them in those particulars wherein they did most sinne In such sort as it was needfull even in that time to seek redresse for outward vices in christian persons in as much as they did not esteem them for evill nor were not ashamed of them through the false perwasion which they had run into of christian liberty and because they had put an end to the esteem of the world But it is now needfull to apply remedy to christian men for their inward vices in regard that they partly for God and partly for the world doe abstain from outward vices suffering themselves to be overcome by the inward partly because they doe not know them for vices and partly because the world holds the want of these vices for a vice You shall find some things in S. Paul which you shall not feel in your selfe and other things which you shall not understand and some other which will seem strange to you And all these it seemes fit to mee that you should passe over not ca◅ing much to weary your selfe for the understanding of them in as much as the intention with which you goe about to read S. Paul is not to understand all that S. Paul saith but to frame your mind as God shall give you grace to understand feel and tast in S. Paul I also advise you that when you begin to read an Epistle you leave not to read the argument which you shall find written before it for it gives much light to the whole Epistle But in truth all these advises are nothing and there is one of much more availe then all these that is that when ever you shall take S. Paul into your hands you should commend yo◅r'selfe to God beseeching him that he would send his Holy Spirit that may be your guide in the reading and you shall endeavour to obtain it by meanes of the only begotten son of God Christ Iesus our Lord to whom be glory for ever AMEN FINIS ERRATA PAge 17. line 6. for execution in this manner read in this manner I desire to c. p. 21. l. 1. f. all good the works r. all the good works p 23. l. 22. f. there r. them p. 24. l. 11. f. believe a lye r. unbelieve a lye p. 29. l. 18. f. perceiving r. persevering p. 29. l. 27. f. dispose r. dispoile p. 34. l. 23. f. once r. one p. 35. l. 22. f. by good r. be good p. 39. l. 25. f. meeter r. meet p. 45. l. penult f watchfulnesse r. watchfull p. 50. l. 28. f. peace and conscience r. peace of conscience p. 82. l. 24. f being a man r. being in a man p. 89. l. 20. f. doth reach unto r. doth not reach unto p. 98. l. 3. f. vocation of r. vocation to p. 103. marg f. omnes homo r. omnis p. 105. l. 1. f. that his piety r. that if his piety p. 109. l. 8. f. knowe r. knowing p. 116 l. 6. f. that then holy spirit r. then the holy spirit p. 172. l. 25◅ f. whilest his soul in his body r. his soul in his body p. 193. l. 24. f. Psal. 75. r. 95. p. 198. l. 12. f. felicity r. facility p. 208. l. 30. f. begins love r. begins to give love p. 220 l. 20. f. proceed r. precedes p. 222. l. 9 f. of man r. to man p. 227. l. 10. f. and it was r. it was p. 239. l. 24. f. the waies r. these waies p. 240. l. 35. f. would r. should p. 241. l. 29. f. justice r. justify p. 244. l. 12. f. purposes in such manner r. purposes and desu◅ in c. This note is the French Translators This note is the French Translators These 32 and 33 Consideratio◅s being read together may vindicate the Authors good meaning from his dubi ous and offen sive expressions in the present Consideration See the Preface This XXXVI Co◅sideration saith the translatour seemes expressed in difficult and ambiguous words which may justly breed exception if so it bee not taken altogether I confessed saith he it is one of them which I doe not fully understand See the Preface Hoc est omnes homo The Weeke before Easter Pretending ◅erit